Bardoc Gold kicks off +40,000-metre drill program targeting resource growth and new discoveries

Bardoc Gold Ltd (ASX:BDC) (FRA:4SF) has begun a major new exploration campaign aimed at growing resources and unlocking new gold discoveries at its 100%-owned 3.02 million-ounce Bardoc Gold Project in Western Australia. An expanded 40,000-metre drilling program is underway with up to four rigs that will explore several key locations across the company’s extensive tenement package. Bardoc is seeking to identify new zones of mineralisation that will enhance value as the company moves forward with mine development plans. Untapped exploration potential Bardoc Gold chief executive officer Robert Ryan said the new exploration program reflected the company’s commitment to build a long-life, sustainable gold project in the North Kalgoorlie region and unlock the untapped exploration potential within the broader district. He said: “The company’s two 100%-owned major gold systems at Zoroastrian-Excelsior and Aphrodite, at +1 million ounces and +1.6 million ounces respectively, have understandably been the main focus for exploration and resource growth at the project in recent years. “While these deposits are well drilled and well-understood, there has been very little greenfields exploration work beyond the boundaries of our current +3 million ounce resource inventory in recent decades – despite the prime location of our tenements in one of the world’s most endowed gold districts. “Following intensive geological fieldwork including pXRF analysis of historical RAB drilling, GAIP Surveys, field mapping and target generation, the company has developed a well-thought-out exploration program designed to target new discoveries within our highly prospective 250 square kilometres of tenure.” Bardoc Gold Project tenement location plan Target areas The key areas targeted by the new drilling program are: Exploration along the 4-kilometre northeast trend at Zoroastrian-Excelsior to focus on other fractionated dolerites and shears (the key ore-hosting structures at these deposits); Exploration on a repeat setting of Zoroastrian-Excelsior at Nerrin Nerrin-South Castlereagh; Exploration close to the Aphrodite main lodes to follow up untested highly mineralised intercepts; Regional exploration to resume at Aphrodite where no drilling has taken place since 2012; Exploration drilling at Aphrodite to upgrade current resources for mine planning purposes; Resource extension work to extend the Mayday North Deposit at surface and at depth; Exploration work to follow up quality regional targets at Mayday North; Exploration work to define the main lodes at North Kanowna Star; Exploration work to explore highly ranked regional targets at North Kanowna Star; and Exploration work along the Bardoc Tectonic Zone (BTZ) to focus on the poorly understood and underexplored Black Flag Beds for gold in sediments. DFS due in Q1 2021 The company has started the new phase of exploration as it moves towards delivering as definitive feasibility study (DFS) in quarter one of 2021. Ryan said: “With the resource definition drilling now complete for the upcoming definitive feasibility study, the geology team will focus their efforts on new discoveries outside of the current mine plan in parallel with ongoing work to complete and deliver the DFS by the March quarter of 2021. “New discoveries will form part of our longer-term growth pipeline at the Bardoc Gold Project beyond what we define in the DFS, unless of course, we are fortunate enough to make a game-changing discovery that changes the entire shape of the company and our development profile – which will be a very nice problem to have!” The works for the DFS are advancing with final geotechnical reports due for Excelsior this week and Zoroastrian underground at the end of the month. Aircore drilling is underway at Mayday North with RC drilling set to commence at Aphrodite, Sigma Lode, as part of resource upgrade work. The geotechnical core drilling at Zoroastrian is on schedule to be completed within the next few days.